Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

I am interested to hear that the Taoiseach's relationship with the Sunday Independent is now akin to Deputy Ó Caoláin's relationship with An Phoblacht.

How does the liaison between the political advisers and special advisers from his Department and other Departments work in practice? Do regular meetings take place between the Taoiseach's advisers and advisers from the line Departments and are those meetings minuted? Do they take place on a particular day of the week or, before or after the regular Government meeting? What is communicated between advisers at those meetings and how does this differ from the communication that would take place between the secretaries of Government and the Secretaries General of the various Departments?

Will the Taoiseach give a sum total of the number of special advisers now employed by his Department?

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